Pakistan batting sensation Babar Azam’s quest to guide the Sydney Sixers to another Big Bash League title will begin against a Perth team missing strike bowler Jhye Richardson.
Azam’s arrival to Australia’s domestic T20 competition has made headlines around the world and now one of the globe’s premier short-format batters will get his first chance to wow spectators when the Sixers play the Scorchers at Optus Stadium on Sunday.
Perth’s mission to restrict Azam’s impact has taken a blow before a ball has been bowled following the withdrawal of Richardson from the team’s opening game of the BBL15 season after being included in the Australian Test squad.
It’s not all going the Sixers’ way, with Sean Abbott failing to recover from a hamstring injury.
Abbott has taken more wickets than any other player in BBL history.
Sydney won BBL09 and BBL10 but have finished second every time before being bundled out in the finals.
Originally published as BBL Sydney Sixers v Perth Scorchers: Azam to debut, Abbott and Richardson injured
Read related topics:PerthSydney
